Cooperative Agreement G24AC00530

PROJECT TITLE: PROPOSAL FOR NEW MAPPING IN SOUTHEASTERN NORTH DAKOTA: LEONARD , QUADRANGLEPROJECT PERIOD: 10 01 2024 THROUGH 09 30 2025THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD TO THE NORTH DAKOTA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (SURVEY) FROM THENATIONAL COOPERATIVE GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF 7,130 IS FOR THE COMPLETIONOF A NEW GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE LEONARD 7.5 QUADRANGLE IN SOUTHEASTERN NORTH DAKOTA IN THE GREATERFARGO AREA. THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA IS PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL 7,130 IN MATCHING FUNDS FORTHIS PROJECT. NEW GEOLOGIC MAPPING ACTIVITIES IN THE PROJECT AREA WILL CONSIST OF THE COMPILATION OFEXISTING GEOLOGIC INFORMATION INCLUDING AERIAL IMAGERY, HIGH-RESOLUTION ELEVATION DATA, AVAILABLEDRILLING RECORDS, AND OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION FROM CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS,SUPPLEMENTED WITH ORIGINAL FIELD DATA COLLECTION AND OBSERVATIONS FROM SHALLOW BORINGS, SURFACEEXPOSURES, AND OUTCROPS WHERE AVAILABLE.A STANDARD 7.5 1:24,000 SCALE DETAILED GEOLOGIC MAP WILL BE PRODUCED WHICH DESCRIBES THESURFICIAL DEPOSITS OCCURRING IN THIS QUADRANGLE. THESE GEOLOGIC UNITS INCLUDE SILTS AND CLAYSDEPOSITED IN GLACIAL LAKES, GLACIAL TILL DEPOSITED DIRECTLY FROM ICE SHEETS, ORGANIC-RICH MUDDEVELOPED IN PONDS AND SLOUGHS, AND SAND AND GRAVEL DEPOSITED BY MELTWATER FROM GLACIERS OR BYMODERN STREAMS. THE AREA SOUTH OF FARGO IS EXPERIENCING SOME OF THE MOST RAPID URBANDEVELOPMENT IN THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA AND IS ALSO THE SITE OF A MAJOR FLOOD-CONTROL INFRASTRUCTUREPROJECT (THE FM DIVERSION). IT IS EXPECTED THAT THIS MAP WILL PROVIDE USEFUL GEOLOGIC INFORMATIONON THE NATURE AND TYPES OF SURFICIAL DEPOSITS AND POTENTIAL GEOLOGIC HAZARDS THAT MAY BE FOUND INTHIS 51 SQUARE MILE AREA (132 SQUARE KILOMETERS) AREA SUCH AS SLUMPING SLOPES ALONG RIVERBANKSAND SETTLEMENT ISSUES IN AREAS WHERE UNSTABLE GROUND IS FOUND. IT MAY ALSO PROVIDE INFORMATION ONTHE NATURE AND EXTENT OF UNIDENTIFIED SHALLOW GROUNDWATER RESOURCES AND PROVIDE FOR A BETTERUNDERSTANDING OF THE GEOLOGIC HISTORY OF THE REGION. SINCE THE AWARD WAS LESS THAN INITIALLYREQUESTED, THE NUMBER OF FIELD STAFF HAS BEEN REDUCED, SUCH THAT A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF DRILLINGRECORDS AND CONTOUR MAPPING OF NEAR SURFACE FORMATION DEPTHS AND THICKNESSES WILL NOT BECOMPLETED FOR THIS MAPPING PROJECT.THIS MAP WILL BE PRODUCED TO INFORM THE PUBLIC, LAND-USE PLANNERS, NATURAL RESOURCEDEVELOPERS, GEOLOGICAL SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS, AND THE ENGINEERING COMMUNITY OF THE CURRENTUNDERSTANDING OF THE GEOLOGIC CONDITIONS IN THIS AREA WHICH WILL SUPPORT INFORMED DECISION MAKINGAND REDUCTIONS IN DEVELOPMENT COSTS BY MITIGATING COSTLY GEOLOGIC HAZARDS.THIS AWARD IS USED TO DIRECTLY COMPENSATE THE SURVEY FOR THE STAFF TIME AND TRAVEL REQUIREDTO COMPLETE THIS NEW GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROJECT. THE SURVEY IS THE ONLY BENEFICIARY OF THESE FUNDS.